A singing mechanical bird has started one of the strangest celebrity feuds of the year. Kelly Clarkson and a Brooklyn shop called Art of Play are arguing over an item named Molly, and the internet has picked sides. Here’s the full timeline.
How it started
On Saturday, October 10, Clarkson took to X to call out the shop after an alleged awkward encounter. She said she had taken an interest in “Molly the Singing Bird” and was treated as though she “couldn’t afford” it. She jokingly compared the experience to Pretty Woman. She claimed a salesperson looked her up and down and told her in a condescending tone that it costs $15,000 and offered to find something comparable. Kelly Clarkson’s Very Unexpected Toy Shop Feud Has Sparked Some Truly Funny Reactions +3
The shop’s side
By Sunday, the shop broke its silence, saying the item wasn’t for sale and was permanently attached to the wall. It says Molly is a one-of-a-kind automaton that plays an important role in the magic shows it hosts. The shop said it offered to show her another singing bird, from a traditional German clockmaking company, that cost around $2,000 and was available immediately. It also described the backlash. It said its small local business was suddenly attacked by 8 million people who had never visited the store. Kelly Clarkson’s Very Unexpected Toy Shop Feud Has Sparked Some Truly Funny Reactions +3
The security footage
Then the video came out. The entire encounter took less than five minutes. The footage has no audio, so it can’t settle what was said. Clarkson spent four minutes and 50 seconds inside, and appears to speak with a staff member near the yellow wooden automaton. Video of Kelly Clarkson’s Experience at Brooklyn Specialty Store Released as Shop Owner Speaks Out +2
Two different accounts
The stories don’t match. Shop co-owner Adam Rubin told the Daily Mail that Clarkson yelled at staff as she left and said she would never return. He also said the shop was crowded, she was dressed like everyone else, and they treated her like a normal person. Clarkson, for her part, described the shop as “really cool” but said of its owner, “Unfortunately, you aren’t.” Shock Kelly Clarkson Security Footage Reveals Truth About Her Store Fight +2
Safety concerns
The story has a more serious side. Rubin told Curbed that Kelly Clarkson put them in danger. He said people are being threatened and that the store is afraid for the safety of its shopkeepers. Whatever you think of the dispute, harassing a small business’s staff is never okay. Salonyahoo
The $15 million joke
The shop has a sense of humor. After first saying the bird wasn’t for sale, the shop said it would sell it for $15 million, with bonuses for the artist and employees. yahoo
What the talk shows said
The View’s co-hosts called Clarkson “petty” for continuing the fight, though one host also placed some blame on the toy store. Co-host Sara Haines quipped that the bird would fly off the wall before they settle this. yahooyahoo
Bottom line
It comes down to one four-minute-and-fifty-second visit, two different memories, and a very expensive bird. Nobody in this story seems to have come out looking great, but the memes have been excellent.
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